Advert Description
Are you interested in this item? This item is up for auction at Catawiki. Please click on "respond to advert" (orange button) to get redirected to the Catawiki website. Catawiki’s goal is to make special objects universally available. Our weekly auctions feature thousands of unusual, rare, and exceptional objects you won’t find in just any store. IMPRESSIVE GALLERY OF PORTRAITS IN FOLIO, BY THE FAMILY OF THE SOVEREIGN PRINCIPLES OF ROME
Second rare edition CINQUECENTESCA, considerably increased (the second part with separate title page is in the first edition), of this important historical work dedicated to the Duke of Bracciano; for this work Sansovino had access to the private archives of the family; the splendid allegorical vignette with the arms of the Orsini that adorns the two frontispieces is the work of Niccolò Nelli.
The second part contains letters to members of the family written by Petrarca, Platina, Marsilio Ficino, Pietro Bembo etc. Lozzi 4521.
Second edition of this detailed study on the aristocratic Orsini family of Rome, «[...] greatly augmented ...» (Mortimer, Harvard Italian II, 460). Adams S-347; Spreti 3642.
The Orsini are among the oldest noble families of Rome, Italy and Europe. Endowed with numerous branches, it has had an illustrious past for power and wealth, for ties of kinship with various royal families of Europe and for having given popes and cardinals to the Church, as well as senators, gonfaloniers and men of arms and states to the city of Rome, the Papal State and the Kingdom of Naples.
Roman papal family, still existing, whose members enjoy the titles of Roman princes, princes of the S.R.I. and assistants to the Papal Throne, three Popes come from it: Celestino III, or Giacinto di Bobone Orsini; Niccolò III, or Giovanni Gaetano Orsini; and Benedict XIII, born Pietro Francesco Orsini. Authentic architects of papal politics, during the Avignon captivity they clashed with the interests of the Colonna family, giving rise to a famous rivalry that ended only in 1511 through Pope Julius II and with a marriage between the two families.
The numerous kinships of the various branches of the family contracted over the centuries with the various ruling families of Europe confirmed the Orsini treatments as prince of blood and sovereign prince.
CONTENTS
Second edition, increased compared to the first of the previous year, which lacked the second part, of the celebration of the Orsini family written by Francesco Sansovino, prolific writer son of the sculptor.
One of the most important princely houses in Italy of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, also owner of large estates in Hungary. Superb engraved intaglio illustration, comprising a repeated emblazoned vignette on the titles, eleven full-page portraits decorated with rich Renaissance frames and six similar frames but without portrait.
The second part of the volume contains, with independent title page, "De gli Huomini illustrious of the Orsina house by M. Francesco Sansovino Libri four. With the privilege of the Illustrious Venetian Senate, & of other Signori, for years XX", and consists of 92 cards numbered only on the front. In the first part five tables of genealogical trees, one manuscript; in the second 17 plates, 11 with portraits of members of the family and six with the frame and the name. Intaglio brand with the Orsini coat of arms between allegorical motifs engraved on the two frontispieces.
First title page printed by Nicolò Bevilacqua, second title page by Domenico Nicolini, both for the Stagnini brothers. Their trademark appears on the reverse of the last sheet of both title pages.
On both there is a cartoon engraved with the Orsini coat of arms. It is NIC signed. NE, for Niccolò Nelli.
CONDITION REPORT
Studio copy 2 parts in 1 folio volume. Papers [13], 135, [1] with 2 family trees out; 92 leaves with 11 portraits and 6 frames engraved in the text. Chalcographic coat of arms of the Orsini imprinted in copper on each title page. Diffuse gore and reinforcements on the first title page and on the various pages woodworm in the inner margin of the whole volume which in some points also affects the text of the family tree of the Counts of Nola reproduced by hand (coeval) well impressed plates. Eighteenth-century parchment binding with smooth spine, gilt-stamped titles on manchette.
FULL TITLES & AUTHORS
The history of Casa Orsina by Francesco Sansovino In which, in addition to its origin, they contain many noble enterprises made by them in different Provinces up to our times With four Books of the illustrious men of the family, in which after the lives of Cardinals and Generals Orsini created the Portraits of many of the aforesaid Where there is no less useful than true knowledge of infinite Histories not seen elsewhere. With privilege for XX years
In Venetia near Bernardino & Filippo Stagnini brothers MDLXV
Francesco Sansovino 67235703
